Body image in people with fears about others
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Body image in patients with persecutory delusions: An interpretive phenomenological approach.
IRAS ID
229894
Contact name
Emily Marshall
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 31 days
Research summary
Persecutory beliefs are strong unfounded fears that others intend harm. People who feel under threat from others often think and feel negatively about themselves. This can contribute to beliefs that others are threatening and unsafe to be around. One aspect that individuals might feel negatively about themselves is regarding their appearance. This is a new area of research. One study has found a link between negative views about appearance and strong beliefs that others will cause harm to them. This study involved questionnaires and used a large sample of people from the general population. However, no study has asked patients with persecutory beliefs what they think and feel about their appearance and what, if any, impact this has day to day.
This study will ask people about their views and experiences regarding their appearance. It will involve interviewing twelve individuals who feel under threat from others. The interviewer will ask participants about any thoughts and feelings they have about their appearance and how they feel when they are around others. The chosen method is a qualitative approach called Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, or IPA. This method focuses on the participant's perspective and how they make sense of their experiences.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SC/0530
Date of REC Opinion
25 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion